We use cookies.This website uses essential cookies to operate core features. With your consent, we also use analytics cookies to understand traffic and improve the service. For more details, see our .
License Plate Abbreviation Lookup
Was this tool helpful to use?
Your feedback helps us make it better
Look up the license-plate abbreviation for every province and city in China, plus the specific region each trailing letter code belongs to.
Overview
Understand what the tool solves, how it works, and the boundaries of its data.
This reference table maps a province-level abbreviation and following Latin letter to the region label stored for that entry. A mainland China ordinary plate begins with a Chinese province, autonomous-region, or municipality character, followed by a letter used as a regional code. The table’s English transliterations make those entries searchable without requiring the Chinese character keyboard; for example, “Yue B” corresponds to the Guangdong prefix often written 粤B.
The result answers a limited question: what region does this listed prefix correspond to? It does not identify a vehicle owner, registration status, current location, route, or whether a full plate is genuine. The list includes common regional assignments plus some special or historical entries, so a displayed label should be read exactly as a table reference.
Entries are arranged by province and abbreviation, plate prefix, and region. Search matches text in the table, so you can start with a prefix such as Yue B, a province such as Guangdong, or a region such as Shenzhen. A full plate string is not automatically reduced to its prefix; remove the separator and serial characters yourself, then search the first two code elements.
Some letters repeat across different provinces, and one province can have multiple prefixes for the same municipality. Match both the province abbreviation and the letter before relying on a row.
China’s national vehicle plate standard establishes the plate format, while the table is a static lookup list. Its regional names and assignments may lag changes or preserve historical wording. Official administrative decisions and vehicle-management records take precedence for registration or enforcement questions.
Guide
Follow the workflow and verify inputs and outputs with practical examples.
Take the first Chinese character and the letter immediately after it from an ordinary mainland plate. For instance, from 粤B·12345, the prefix is 粤B.
Enter the matching transliterated prefix, province, or region name in the table search field. Search terms should match the language shown in the rows.
Check the province, plate prefix, and region columns together. If there is no match, shorten the query or try the Chinese/transliterated form actually displayed.
Sorting a column can group related rows. The search narrows the supplied records; no result does not establish that a prefix has never been assigned.
Use cases
See how the tool fits into real work and everyday tasks.
A researcher reviewing authorized vehicle records can identify the region label associated with listed mainland prefixes, then keep that interpretation separate from any owner or vehicle-status check.
An English-reading user encountering a Chinese plate in a document can search its prefix to understand the table’s regional mapping before consulting an appropriate official source for a formal matter.
Q&A
Find concise answers to common questions and confusing cases.
The table searches its displayed text and does not automatically extract a prefix from a complete plate. Search using the province abbreviation plus following letter.
No. It is a regional mapping for the prefix, not live location information or a current vehicle record.
No. It is a supplied set of common and selected special or historical records, not a complete guide to every vehicle category or plate format.
Notes
Review scope, result limitations, and important precautions before use.
The table is a reference collection, not a live government registry. Historical labels, blank mappings, and changes in local plate allocation can affect a row. Do not use a prefix result alone for a purchase, insurance claim, enforcement decision, or identity judgment. Confirm formal matters with the relevant vehicle-management authority.
The prefix lookup does not return private vehicle-owner details, contact information, a vehicle file, current whereabouts, or travel history.
Related
Discover related tools, collections, and available API capabilities.